Sasha Bruce Youthwork

Mission Statement

Founded in 1974, Sasha Bruce Youthwork (SBY) envisions the end of youth homelessness and a community where every young person and their family has access to the tools and resources they need to thrive.

To achieve this vision, Sasha Bruce works to improve the lives of runaway, homeless, abused, and neglected youth and their families in the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County, MD. Through our 24 residential and community programs, we support over 15,000 individuals as they move towards this vision every year.

About

Sasha Bruce recognizes that we all need some help from time to time; thus, our programs are designed to enhance a young person’s resiliency toolbox that will help them respond to their evolving needs.

We achieve this by integrating positive youth development and trauma-informed care best practices within our Pillars of Opportunity: 1) Safe Homes, 2) Life Skills, and 3) Workforce and Education. While our interventions primarily serve youth ages 10-24 years old, our approach is family-focused, competency-based, and builds on the strengths of each youth and family we serve.

Some of our signature programs include:

1. Bruce House: DC's only emergency shelter for runaway and homeless children.
2. Promise Place: The only emergency shelter for 10-24 year old youth in Prince George's County.
3. Drop-In Center: Our four Drop-In Centers provide survival services (meals, showers, clothing, laundry facilities, counseling) to street youth and those unstably housed.
4. Strengthening Teens, Empowering Parents (STEP): STEP provides family-style counseling and coaching to parents seeking to improve their relationship with their child. This program also helps reunite runaway youth with their families.
5. Kaempfer Transformation Projection: We all deserve a quality education and to dream big. The Kaempfer Project helps formerly homeless youth return to school, pursue a college degree or trade, and support their journey towards independence.

Causes